Brezhnev was born on the 19th of December 1906 (this date is disputed) in the industrial town of Kaminski, Ukraine within the then intact Russian Empire. He was born into a working class family his father, like many previous generations, worked in a steel mill. The Brezhnev family was the ideal family that was attracted by the communist ideals of Lenin at the time. During his adolescence he witnessed experienced bitter instability including the traumatic Great War and the horrific Russian Revolution of 1917. Leonid’s first job was at a butter factory at age 15 – he then received a technical education in land management then metallurgy he went on to become a land surveyor for most of the 1920s. He progressed successfully and graduated in 1935 as an engineer in the mighty iron steel industry of Eastern Ukraine and the director of a technical school.
The Rise of the Titan of the Communist Party
Brezhnev became a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) in 1931 , his career quickly prospered under Joseph Stalin’s Regime as a Soviet official. In 1939 he became secretary (supervisor) of the regional party committee of Dnipropetrovsk. During World War II he served as a political commissar, an individual whom educated soldiers on political ideological matters and organised the military, in the Red Army. 1943 He quickly became a significant general and head of political commissars on the Ukrainian Front.
After the war held posts as chief of several regional party committees in Ukraine. Next Leonid was sent on a vital role for the security of communism within the Romanian Republic as the first secretary of the Moldavian Communist Party. 1954 , after the death of Stalin , the new leader Khrushchev made his protégé Brezhnev second secretary of the Kazakhstan Communist Party , where he would implement one of his most successful policies that would be a strong factor in his rising through the CPSU ranks , The Virgin Lands Campaign which was a revolutionary agriculture progression for the USSR. This extremely successful campaign resulted in his promotion to first secretary of the Kazakhstan Communist Party.
His career took a major step forward when he was made a full member of the Politburo , the principal policy making committee of the communist party. In 1960 became the chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet – in which he had no real powers but this was seen as a symbolic position. 1964 appointed as Khrushchev’s assistant as Second Secretary of the Central Committee, in this position he was viewed as the heir apparent to take over the reigns of the USSR from Khrushchev. 1964 he assisted a coalition in removing Khrushchev from power and became the General Secretary of the CPSU (leader of the USSR)
The Implications of Brezhnev’s Era
During his 18 years of rule he made many decisions which affected not only the people of the USSR but of the entirety of the world
ØThe Brezhnev Doctrine: In 1967-68 Czechoslovakia attempted to liberalise its communist system this was short lived as Brezhnev developed the concept of the ‘Brezhnev Doctrine’ in which he asserted the right of the Soviet intervention in scenarios where fellow socialist countries are threatened by their own citizens. In 1968 he invaded Czechoslovakia and used this doctrine to justify the invasion. The policy dominated the foreign approach taken by the USSR for the proceeding Brezhnev Era.
ØEconomic Stagnation Era: During Brezhnev’s term in power he delivered the USSR a period of economic prosperity even to a point where the the soviets reached equilibrium with the United States in strategic nuclear weapons and the USSR space program overtook that of its US rival. Average income per household under Brezhnev had increased by half during the 1960s and the early period of the 1970s. Though by 1973 this time of economic growth slowed due to the far inflated spending on the military, a key focus for Brezhnev, and the period of competitive economic rivalry between the US and the USSR succumbed to the superiority of the US economy. 240 million Soviets witnessed the beginning of the fall in living standards in the USSR.
ØDétente: During Nixon’s Presidency and Brezhnev’s period of command the Détente policy was introduced which helped reduce the hostility and aggression between the Soviet Union and the USA. Treaties such as SALT and the Helsinki Accords were signed during the period of the policy. Its long term implications were the decrease in the the threat of a nuclear war between the two superpowers which would of most certainty been an extinction event and the end of humanity.
Perspectives of The Fabulous Mono-Browed General Secretary
Soviets viewed Brezhnev as a hero in the early period of his reign in the 1960s awarding him on his birthday with the Hero of the Soviet Union. His major elevation in the living standards also made him well respected.
Whilst many praised Brezhnev there was a common criticism by a large majority of the populous after he died, including the future General Secretary Gorbachev, regarding the gradual decrease in living standards, the ravaging of corruption and the stagnation of the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 80s. He was also criticised for whilst providing the USSR with modern weapons, he neglected parts of the soviet economy leading to its eventual collapse in the early 90s.
Whilst most Americans saw Brezhnev as the leader of the enemy and the nurturer of the communism this was contrary through the eyes of American politicians such as Nixon , Him and Brezhnev were making efforts to reduce the chance of a nuclear fallout between the two countries.
Source Analysis
#1
This image originated from May 30th 1972 in the Kremlin. They are having a celebration drink over the signing of the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) and the Anti - Ballistic Missile Agreement. This was seen as a monumental progression with the cooling of relations between the two super powers , for the first time since the beginning of the hostilities in Berlin they had agreed to restrict the number of nuclear weapons in their arsenal. This source is an accurate representation of the surrounding perspective of the new signed treaty. When compared with other sources , such as the secret Presidential recordings of the White House which captured a private meeting between the two , it supports that they had a stable relationship of mutual respect.
#2
This is the cover of the TIME magazine on the 21st of February 1964 , the image on the front depicts Brezhnev in front of a sickle and went representing his highly successful Virgin Lands agricultural expansion campaign.The text "Breadlines in Utopia" is an accurate statement with other sources due to the campaign led to a cut in food shortages that were an antagonist within the Soviet Union.
#3
"It is madness for any country to build its policy with an eye to nuclear war."
This originates from Brezhnev himself on an unknown date but was quoted in R Lifton's Indefensible Weapons in 1992. The major part that makes this source valuable is its is an insight into the ideology of Brezhnev. Compared to other sources you could accuse Brezhnev as contradicting himself , he dedicated such a large proportion of the USSR's economy to the production of nuclear weapons it left parts of the economy absolutely desolated. The things that make this source reliable is that it is a secondary source of the actual quote said by Brezhnev.
#4
This picture depics Brezhnev riding on a nuclear warhead. It originates from Melinda Gebbie. The depiction of him riding a nuclear warhead is a valuable source because it is an accurate cartoon displaying both Brezhnev's obession with nuclear warheads which led to the collapse of the USSR economy trying to compete with the US nuclear system and it also in a sense shows the willingness for Brezhnev to 'ride' the USSR to war with the USA.
#5
This image originates from November 12th 1982 and was published by the Daily News of Los Angeles. It is a valuable source because it shows , along the rich impenetrable eyebrows of Brezhnev , the Soviet Union powers in the display of rockets and the soviet economy in the form of bones representing that it is barren or dying. This is a true depiction because as Brezhnev increased the investment of the USSR's GDP in military spending he placed many of those funds on the creation of modern nuclear weapons during this period of major military spending other parts of the USSR collapsed such as living standards , the economy and agriculture. #6
This image originates on the 25th of August 1968 and was taken by Dusan Neumann during the invasion that first implemented the new concept of the Brezhnev Doctrine which semi justified , from a Soviet perspective , the invasion of Czechoslovakia who had tried to establish a new democracy. This invasion resulted in the installation of a more stable communist government which lasted more than 20 years. The limitations of this source are that it does not reveal any information regarding the backstory but merely displays a Soviet Tank in Prague with a small child. The Soviet tank makes the source reliable due to their is other sources that reveal that the USSR did indeed launch their tank divisions to invade the country.
Bibliography
Source Analysis:
1. Gave very detailed information but at times made it difficult to find information relevant to the task and the criteria
2. Discussed impact of the Brezhnev doctrine - very limited to no information on other topics
3. Gave a view from a Russian perspective - very broad information but covers many areas of Brezhnev era.
4. Very detailed information presented in a way in which relevant information could be sourced easily
5. Very in depth information that shows the stages leading up to Brezhnev's rule and the major events and policies in which he enacted - is written shortly after the dissolving of the USSR
Question one: “Cold War? Heck, it was a hot war!” (Robert McNamara, US Secretary of Defence 1961 – 1968) To what extent do you agree with Robert McNamara’s statement that it was a ‘hot war’?
The Cold War was indeed a hot a war there were several brutal proxy wars such as Korea and Vietnam. In Vietnam alone between 1.4 and 3.5 million people were killed fighting over ideological differences, The Communist North Vietnamese government backed by China and the USSR vs The Democratic South backed by the United States and her allies. Similar the Korean War led to 2.5 million estimated casualties it was also a war sparked by US paranoia over the spread of communism into Asia. Additionally, the Cuban Missile crisis was the closest humanity ever came to extinction. The tensions between the two countries reached such a boiling point that all communication broke down and they had to resort to the threat of possessing nuclear weapons. Even after the crisis the fears of a nuclear war continued well into the 1970s pre SALT treaty. Though whilst it was heated in some areas the Cold War was also as its name describes. There was never a recorded direct confrontation between the two powers indicating there was never actually a war at all only one of ideological differences and the quest for superiority.
Question two: Why is the Cold War worth remembering?
The Cold War is worth remembering because it taught us valuable lessons on the operation of society and it also gave a perspective into the true operation of Communism. The Cold War was a period of great hostility between the US and the USSR whilst this occurred in the past, it may be again occurring between the US and Russia and it may be necessary to apply the peaceful ideals of some aspects of the Cold War to cool tensions if they arise once again. The Cold War also gave a valuable truth to the world that in the event of nuclear war no side wins there is ‘mutually assured destruction’ this can be applied to modern society to help us resolve issues instead of having to use the physical presence of nuclear weapons. Additionally, it also brought a time of rapid technological advance most importantly the exploration of space where the US reached the moon on the 20th of July 1969.
Humble Beginnings:
Brezhnev was born on the 19th of December 1906 (this date is disputed) in the industrial town of Kaminski, Ukraine within the then intact Russian Empire. He was born into a working class family his father, like many previous generations, worked in a steel mill. The Brezhnev family was the ideal family that was attracted by the communist ideals of Lenin at the time. During his adolescence he witnessed experienced bitter instability including the traumatic Great War and the horrific Russian Revolution of 1917. Leonid’s first job was at a butter factory at age 15 – he then received a technical education in land management then metallurgy he went on to become a land surveyor for most of the 1920s. He progressed successfully and graduated in 1935 as an engineer in the mighty iron steel industry of Eastern Ukraine and the director of a technical school.
The Rise of the Titan of the Communist Party
Brezhnev became a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) in 1931 , his career quickly prospered under Joseph Stalin’s Regime as a Soviet official. In 1939 he became secretary (supervisor) of the regional party committee of Dnipropetrovsk. During World War II he served as a political commissar, an individual whom educated soldiers on political ideological matters and organised the military, in the Red Army. 1943 He quickly became a significant general and head of political commissars on the Ukrainian Front.
After the war held posts as chief of several regional party committees in Ukraine. Next Leonid was sent on a vital role for the security of communism within the Romanian Republic as the first secretary of the Moldavian Communist Party. 1954 , after the death of Stalin , the new leader Khrushchev made his protégé Brezhnev second secretary of the Kazakhstan Communist Party , where he would implement one of his most successful policies that would be a strong factor in his rising through the CPSU ranks , The Virgin Lands Campaign which was a revolutionary agriculture progression for the USSR. This extremely successful campaign resulted in his promotion to first secretary of the Kazakhstan Communist Party.
His career took a major step forward when he was made a full member of the Politburo , the principal policy making committee of the communist party. In 1960 became the chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet – in which he had no real powers but this was seen as a symbolic position. 1964 appointed as Khrushchev’s assistant as Second Secretary of the Central Committee, in this position he was viewed as the heir apparent to take over the reigns of the USSR from Khrushchev. 1964 he assisted a coalition in removing Khrushchev from power and became the General Secretary of the CPSU (leader of the USSR)
The Implications of Brezhnev’s Era
During his 18 years of rule he made many decisions which affected not only the people of the USSR but of the entirety of the world
Perspectives of The Fabulous Mono-Browed General Secretary
Soviets viewed Brezhnev as a hero in the early period of his reign in the 1960s awarding him on his birthday with the Hero of the Soviet Union. His major elevation in the living standards also made him well respected.
Whilst many praised Brezhnev there was a common criticism by a large majority of the populous after he died, including the future General Secretary Gorbachev, regarding the gradual decrease in living standards, the ravaging of corruption and the stagnation of the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 80s. He was also criticised for whilst providing the USSR with modern weapons, he neglected parts of the soviet economy leading to its eventual collapse in the early 90s.
Whilst most Americans saw Brezhnev as the leader of the enemy and the nurturer of the communism this was contrary through the eyes of American politicians such as Nixon , Him and Brezhnev were making efforts to reduce the chance of a nuclear fallout between the two countries.
Source Analysis
#1
This image originated from May 30th 1972 in the Kremlin. They are having a celebration drink over the signing of the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) and the Anti - Ballistic Missile Agreement. This was seen as a monumental progression with the cooling of relations between the two super powers , for the first time since the beginning of the hostilities in Berlin they had agreed to restrict the number of nuclear weapons in their arsenal. This source is an accurate representation of the surrounding perspective of the new signed treaty. When compared with other sources , such as the secret Presidential recordings of the White House which captured a private meeting between the two , it supports that they had a stable relationship of mutual respect.
#2
This is the cover of the TIME magazine on the 21st of February 1964 , the image on the front depicts Brezhnev in front of a sickle and went representing his highly successful Virgin Lands agricultural expansion campaign.The text "Breadlines in Utopia" is an accurate statement with other sources due to the campaign led to a cut in food shortages that were an antagonist within the Soviet Union.
#3
"It is madness for any country to build its policy with an eye to nuclear war."
This originates from Brezhnev himself on an unknown date but was quoted in R Lifton's Indefensible Weapons in 1992. The major part that makes this source valuable is its is an insight into the ideology of Brezhnev. Compared to other sources you could accuse Brezhnev as contradicting himself , he dedicated such a large proportion of the USSR's economy to the production of nuclear weapons it left parts of the economy absolutely desolated. The things that make this source reliable is that it is a secondary source of the actual quote said by Brezhnev.
#4
This picture depics Brezhnev riding on a nuclear warhead. It originates from Melinda Gebbie. The depiction of him riding a nuclear warhead is a valuable source because it is an accurate cartoon displaying both Brezhnev's obession with nuclear warheads which led to the collapse of the USSR economy trying to compete with the US nuclear system and it also in a sense shows the willingness for Brezhnev to 'ride' the USSR to war with the USA.
#5
This image originates from November 12th 1982 and was published by the Daily News of Los Angeles. It is a valuable source because it shows , along the rich impenetrable eyebrows of Brezhnev , the Soviet Union powers in the display of rockets and the soviet economy in the form of bones representing that it is barren or dying. This is a true depiction because as Brezhnev increased the investment of the USSR's GDP in military spending he placed many of those funds on the creation of modern nuclear weapons during this period of major military spending other parts of the USSR collapsed such as living standards , the economy and agriculture.
#6
This image originates on the 25th of August 1968 and was taken by Dusan Neumann during the invasion that first implemented the new concept of the Brezhnev Doctrine which semi justified , from a Soviet perspective , the invasion of Czechoslovakia who had tried to establish a new democracy. This invasion resulted in the installation of a more stable communist government which lasted more than 20 years. The limitations of this source are that it does not reveal any information regarding the backstory but merely displays a Soviet Tank in Prague with a small child. The Soviet tank makes the source reliable due to their is other sources that reveal that the USSR did indeed launch their tank divisions to invade the country.
Bibliography
Source Analysis:
1. Gave very detailed information but at times made it difficult to find information relevant to the task and the criteria
2. Discussed impact of the Brezhnev doctrine - very limited to no information on other topics
3. Gave a view from a Russian perspective - very broad information but covers many areas of Brezhnev era.
4. Very detailed information presented in a way in which relevant information could be sourced easily
5. Very in depth information that shows the stages leading up to Brezhnev's rule and the major events and policies in which he enacted - is written shortly after the dissolving of the USSR
Timeline:
https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/1324028
Question one:
“Cold War? Heck, it was a hot war!” (Robert McNamara, US Secretary of Defence 1961 – 1968)
To what extent do you agree with Robert McNamara’s statement that it was a ‘hot war’?
The Cold War was indeed a hot a war there were several brutal proxy wars such as Korea and Vietnam. In Vietnam alone between 1.4 and 3.5 million people were killed fighting over ideological differences, The Communist North Vietnamese government backed by China and the USSR vs The Democratic South backed by the United States and her allies. Similar the Korean War led to 2.5 million estimated casualties it was also a war sparked by US paranoia over the spread of communism into Asia. Additionally, the Cuban Missile crisis was the closest humanity ever came to extinction. The tensions between the two countries reached such a boiling point that all communication broke down and they had to resort to the threat of possessing nuclear weapons. Even after the crisis the fears of a nuclear war continued well into the 1970s pre SALT treaty. Though whilst it was heated in some areas the Cold War was also as its name describes. There was never a recorded direct confrontation between the two powers indicating there was never actually a war at all only one of ideological differences and the quest for superiority.
Question two:
Why is the Cold War worth remembering?
The Cold War is worth remembering because it taught us valuable lessons on the operation of society and it also gave a perspective into the true operation of Communism. The Cold War was a period of great hostility between the US and the USSR whilst this occurred in the past, it may be again occurring between the US and Russia and it may be necessary to apply the peaceful ideals of some aspects of the Cold War to cool tensions if they arise once again. The Cold War also gave a valuable truth to the world that in the event of nuclear war no side wins there is ‘mutually assured destruction’ this can be applied to modern society to help us resolve issues instead of having to use the physical presence of nuclear weapons. Additionally, it also brought a time of rapid technological advance most importantly the exploration of space where the US reached the moon on the 20th of July 1969.